Today I'm happy about......

[Beefheart]

Yeah, but the idea is the amp is louder. Let's say it has a maximum volume of 110 decibels where a regular amp has a maximum volume of 100 decibels. So on both amps each number indicated an interval of 10db. What Marti is suggesting in the film is that you would essentially make each number worth 11db, so that 10 would still be maximum although the amp would be louder.

The way this would apply to exam grades is that rather than say getting an A* for getting x%, instead increase the pass mark for an A to that percentage.

[thebish]

only if you really believed that the amp was actually louder on 11 than it had been on 10.

Or if you believe an A star to be better than the existing top grade. It's exactly the same.

the existing top grade IS A*....

It used to be A. It's now A*. The top grade is the top grade.

The maximum sound output on a guitar amplifier is 10. Making it 11 doesn't make it any louder.

I think it might differ for different subjects - but when it was explained to me when my kids did GCSEs, i was told that at the time it was introduced, the A* grade percentage needed was actually higher than that A grade percentage needed in the previous year. In other words - a new grade intended to highlight a higher standard than had been properly measured before. (so I think it actually WAS louder!)

yes - they could have upped the A grade percentage so that fewer students achieved it - but that would have had a knock on effect on the grades below it. I suspect it was much easier to introduce A* as a higher grade than had been measured before - and keep the others the same so that higher education institutions didn't need to then recalibrate all of their patterns of grade offers - they just had a new tool to pick out exceptional talent - but I can't see that it's much to lose sleep over...

anyway - it's been around for nearly 10 years - it's hardly a new thing!

[Prufrock]

It's just another distinction. It would be like sticking 11 on an amp if the previous 10 distinctions had not been subtley different enough.

[Bruce Rioja]

only if you really believed that the amp was actually louder on 11 than it had been on 10.

Or if you believe an A star to be better than the existing top grade. It's exactly the same.

the existing top grade IS A*....

It used to be A. It's now A*. The top grade is the top grade.

The maximum sound output on a guitar amplifier is 10. Making it 11 doesn't make it any louder.

I think it might differ for different subjects - but when it was explained to me when my kids did GCSEs, i was told that at the time it was introduced, the A* grade percentage needed was actually higher than that A grade percentage needed in the previous year. In other words - a new grade intended to highlight a higher standard than had been properly measured before. (so I think it actually WAS louder!)

yes - they could have upped the A grade percentage so that fewer students achieved it - but that would have had a knock on effect on the grades below it. I suspect it was much easier to introduce A* as a higher grade than had been measured before - and keep the others the same so that higher education institutions didn't need to then recalibrate all of their patterns of grade offers - they just had a new tool to pick out exceptional talent - but I can't see that it's much to lose sleep over...

anyway - it's been around for nearly 10 years - it's hardly a new thing!

I'm glad that you're in agreement with it 110%

[thebish]

anyway, Bruce - be prepared for it all to change again...

your man Gove plans to remove the coursework element - and to rename them "I-levels" (presumably sponsored by Apple??) - and to have grades 1-8 - with 8 being equivalent to the current A* and - wait for it - the grade 9 in reserve in case he wanted to add another one later on...

genius, eh?

[mrkint]

anyway, Bruce - be prepared for it all to change again...

your man Gove plans to remove the coursework element - and to rename them "I-levels" (presumably sponsored by Apple??) - and to have grades 1-8 - with 8 being equivalent to the current A* and - wait for it - the grade 9 in reserve in case he wanted to add another one later on...

genius, eh?

If it was grades 1 to 10 and then 11 as extra, that would've been poetry.

[Montreal Wanderer]

My head aches. I wish I hadn't asked! But congrats to HG's nephew anyway.

[BWFC_Insane]

anyway, Bruce - be prepared for it all to change again...

your man Gove plans to remove the coursework element - and to rename them "I-levels" (presumably sponsored by Apple??) - and to have grades 1-8 - with 8 being equivalent to the current A* and - wait for it - the grade 9 in reserve in case he wanted to add another one later on...

genius, eh?

Are they going to replace the coursework with an app?

[CrazyHorse]

Today I'm laughing about one of the apprentices at work who is off to Amsterdam for the weekend.

Now he had the chance to book himself in for his drug & alcohol test this week, same as me but he couldn't be arsed booking it. So now he's got to have it next week instead.

[Worthy4England]

Today I'm laughing about one of the apprentices at work who is off to Amsterdam for the weekend.

Now he had the chance to book himself in for his drug & alcohol test this week, same as me but he couldn't be arsed booking it. So now he's got to have it next week instead.

I forsee a sickie coming on...

[Wandering Willy]

There speaks the voice of experience.

[thebish]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

Don't forget to keep it in your shirt pocket

[TANGODANCER]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

Watermans or Platignum?

[Worthy4England]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

Watermans or Platignum?

Mont Blanc surely?

[thebish]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

Watermans or Platignum?

it's a parker.. is that bad?

[TANGODANCER]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

Watermans or Platignum?

it's a parker.. is that bad?

Indeed no, just the opposite. Parker pens are excellent. I was harking back to my own first fountain pens. Love writing with bottled ink and I still have a caligraphy set somewhere. .

[thebish]

started using a proper fountain pen again yesterday... wow! awesome! you can keep your modern fancy scratchy gel crap!

Watermans or Platignum?

it's a parker.. is that bad?

Indeed no, just the opposite. Parker pens are excellent. I was harking back to my own first fountain pens. Love writing with bottled ink and I still have a caligraphy set somewhere. .

i once had a calligraphy set - never got into it, though I wish I had - cos I love calligraphy... problem is, i have no obvious artistic talent!

[bobo the clown]

Today I'm laughing about one of the apprentices at work who is off to Amsterdam for the weekend.

Now he had the chance to book himself in for his drug & alcohol test this week, same as me but he couldn't be arsed booking it. So now he's got to have it next week instead.

I forsee a sickie coming on...

It'll need to be a long one

16 weeks cannabis can be traced in your system. Modern "skunk" shows through all sorts of masking agents as well. The tests can show base levels as well as peaks from which the "I have never before ...
" it was just a quick toke ... and I regretted it immediately" and "I didn't realise what it was" can be challenged.

"Passive Smoking" claims are always shite too.

I suppose it depends of Company rules and stances but he really should have gone in while clean ... if he was.

[Worthy4England]

Today I'm laughing about one of the apprentices at work who is off to Amsterdam for the weekend.

Now he had the chance to book himself in for his drug & alcohol test this week, same as me but he couldn't be arsed booking it. So now he's got to have it next week instead.

I forsee a sickie coming on...

It'll need to be a long one

16 weeks cannabis can be traced in your system. Modern "skunk" shows through all sorts of masking agents as well. The tests can show base levels as well as peaks from which the "I have never before ...
" it was just a quick toke ... and I regretted it immediately" and "I didn't realise what it was" can be challenged.

"Passive Smoking" claims are always shite too.

I suppose it depends of Company rules and stances but he really should have gone in while clean ... if he was.

That's good news. Still plenty for Hoss to laugh at next week....